Monday, January 26, 2009

Garrett is obsessed with CARS.  Seriously, it is bordering on pathological.  He woke up this morning asking for "Tire-Eye McQueen"  (a CARS character) and it spiraled out of control from there...

  The background is that although Garrett got several very nice Christmas presents, the 3 die-cast cars Paul gave him were SO his favorite.  He goes everywhere clutching them in his fat little hands:).  He will hardly put them down to let me put his hands through a shirt, he takes them in the bath, and has mastered holding his cup sandwiched between two cars.  Paul is so proud, but I'm ready to ring his neck.  Here's why:  Garrett is using them as psychological warfare against me.  I do have a flair for the dramatic, but I'm not even exaggerating here...he hides them, or loses them, or eats them--I don't know.  There is a favorite every few days and that is always the one that winds up missing.  Nothing will do until we find that one! The kicker is...we usually can't find it.  The hours spent searching are eating up what little sanity I have left.

Then, like the "we said we'd never" kind of parents we are, we go out and buy him a replacement.  But, because Disney has marketing ninjas, every time this happens, the store is sold out of  "green car", "Ramone", or "Doc" and only has a more obscure version like "Bug Teeth McQueen".  You kind of have to have seen CARS, but basically Disney has made dressed up Cars that coincide with scenes from the movie.  So, Garrett ends up with "Tumbleweed McQueen" as a new favorite, until he looses that one and the cycle repeats.

This is turning into a long story, but I'm getting somewhere.  Today I was not overflowing with motherly patience and snapped when he asked me for the 600th time, in a terribly whiney 2 year old voice, for "Tire-Eye McQueen".  I felt terrible, thought he was going to cry, and then he said "I want Tire-Eye McQueen Mommy".  AHH!  So, I left Paul (who was very busy with work) with Lilah and Garrett and I raced out the door to drop some cash on a replacement.  We arrive at Toys R Us and he is beaming....so excited to be on an adventure with Mommy to get a new Tire-Eye McQueen (which they did not have, of course).  We load up several other cars in our basket and head to check out, with Garrett saying "ooh, thank you mommy" and .....I DON'T HAVE MY WALLET!!  I am frozen at the register in total panic about how I'm going to explain this to him, but he took it very well--until I strapped him in the car seat (think he thought my wallet was in the car...as this too has happened).  He then threw the most impressive fit in history (his anyway).  Snot-blowing, tongue-curled, head-banging sort of fit...all the way home and all the way back to the store.




We get the new cars, and peace in the valley is restored.  And as I was putting on his PJs he said, "I want Tire-Eye McQueen, Mommy."  :)


8 comments:

Elizabeth Myatt said...

This is hysterical, you and the wallet mishaps...makes me laugh! That hair is SHORT, but nothing could make his smile less cute. Hope you find the beloved car...and hope he is not too tired tomorrow :).

Jessica said...

how cute! Oliver had a very similar obsession with Cars at the same age!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Holy Cow...bless your heart...that will be funny SOMEDAY...I think you should buy a stash of cars and hide them in your closet - then after you look and look for the lost one you can sneak in your room and pull one out and say "I found it!!" Garrett will never know the difference...but you will certainly feel it!
love you! AnnRose

Jill Temple said...

Gina, I laughed so hard. Only because I can relate. I think you need a hi-tech GPS tracking system for each of his cars. That way if he loses one, you can make a game out of finding it... beep, beep, beep!

Hey, I may have a great product idea here. We can make millions, because I'm sure they are plenty of parents who would buy it...especially you today! :)

In all seriousness, you, Paul, Lilah and Garrett are constantly on my heart and in my prayers.

Let me know when you are ready for a glass of wine. We can get a few of the girls together, sit out in the cold and tell stories about how our kids will drive us to the therapist's couch (and vice versa in 20 years!!!).

Love you friend! Jill

Aimee D said...

It is always amazing to me how little kids can throw the most impressive, screaming fits and then just recover like nothing ever happened.
I'm with your friend Ann Rose, buy them up and stash them away for when they get lost! Hope you had a sweet birthday.

Amy said...

Classic toddler story! Good job for just making it to the end of the day! Hope today is better!! :)

The Leonards said...

gotta love a day in the life with a two year old! i'm a little nervous to let sam watch CARS:) can't wait to hang out soon!!

Elizabeth Browning said...

Oh you just provide me with so much comfort that Garrett too has these fits! Louis has had one or two lately where I feel like I must be a failure as a parent. I have to stop and remind myself that he is 2! You are a wonderful mother to trek home and back again for him- I would do it too! My mom always says there is a big difference in being spoiled and being a spoiled brat. I am happy to "spoil" Louis as long as he apprectiates it and doesn't take it for granted. Sounds like Garrett was very appreciative!